Get Buzzed On The Cheap: Carmen Carmenere 2011

We can tell you that Carmen 2011 Gran Reserva Carmenere is robust Chilean wine that’s fruity and full of cherry, mulberry, and plum flavors. And that would all be true. But if you think like us, you’re probably more concerned with the cost to taste ration. Meaning, you don’t want to spend a lot but refuse to drink wine that tastes like grain alcohol with grape food coloring. At about $15 a bottle, Carmen’s Camenere fits the bill.

Camenere wines pair will with things like poultry, pasta, and steak. We went with rice pasta with bell peppers and pesto. Why’d we do that? Great question! The aroma from Carmen Carmenere red peppers, spinach, chocolate, and jams. That helped amplify the wine’s taste, and tricked us into thinking we were getting an extra serving of veggies in our diet. All told, we spent about $25 on wine and dinner for two. Way cheaper than going out and the hard part — getting her to feel comfortable in the apartment — was already taken care of.